Abstract of contracts awarded for improving harbor at Pentwater, Michigan. Statement of vessels entered Pentwater Harbor, showing the number, tonnage, crews, and car goes, during the year 1870. Statement of vessels cleared at Pentwater Harbor, showing the number, tonnage, crews, and car goes, during the year 1870. REPORT OF OPERATIONS AT THE HARBOR AT WHITE RIVER, MICHIGAN. During the past year the north pier has been extended 256 feet, and the superstructure completed for the same distance. Beyond this, piles have been driven for a farther distance of 64 feet. The piers built during the fiscal year ending June 30, 1870, have been well filled with slabs, brush, and stone. No pile has been driven less than 15 feet, and the average depth to which piles have been driven is 17 feet. The dredge worked until the close of the season of 1870, when it was laid up, and last spring was sent to Père Marquette. The channel between the piers is now 10 feet deep, except near where the beach intersects the south pier. Here the sand came through, owing to the filling in the pier not settling to the bottom. All the work was done by hired labor. The following is the cost of materials and labor during the past fiscal year: Cost of repairs of machinery.... Labor on dredging. Labor on pile-driving. Labor on cutting off piles, framing and filling piers.. $3,296 39 4,165 28 2,759 18 9, 908 07. 834 77 Appropriation approved July 11, 1870. Appropriation approved March 3, 1871. Less amount covered in Treasury of appropriation for repairs, &c., by act approved July 12, 1870. Amount expended during fiscal year.. 30, 937 64 $9,393 38 20,000 00 20,000 00 680 00 5, 210 00 44, 863 38 30, 937 64 Amount on hand July 1, 1871.. 13,925 74 During the present season it is proposed to finish both piers as shown in blue on accompanying sketch. This will give each pier a total length of 810 feet beyond the beach line. It may be that the piers will have to be extended still farther if a bar forms again across the mouth of the channel. To do the dredging still necessary and properly ballasting the piers will require an additional appropriation of $10,000, which can be profitably expended during the fiscal year ending June 30, 1873. White River is in the district of Michigan, and the nearest port of entry is Grand Haven. The nearest light-house is at Muskegon, twelve miles distant. Abstract of bids received and opened August 27, 1870, for furnishing stone at White River Harbor, Michigan. List of vessels entered and cleared White River Harbor, Michigan, showing number, crews, and cargoes, during year 1870. B 6. REPORT OF OPERATIONS AT THE HARBOR AT MUSKEGON, MICHIGAN. The superstructure over the cribs built in 1869 was finished last season, and a crib 32 feet by 32 feet was placed as a pier-head to the north pier. Last spring another crib, 32 feet by 32 feet, was placed, extending the north pier 32 feet, and the north and south piers were repaired, and the south pier re-ballasted. Both piers had been seriously damaged by vessels running into them. The cost of the work was as follows: Labor on framing and repairs of cribs and superstructure, &c. $6,955 84 Cost of stone Cost of timber 4, 059 84 2,193 55 494 15 1,121 28 205 50 This harbor is at present in good condition, and no new work is necessary. The slab-piers interior to the crib-piers are fast rotting away, and they should be replaced by pile-piers, thus utilizing the slabs now under water and in place. This work has already been recommended in previous reports, and will cost $28,000; 250 cords of stone are necessary to reballast the north pier, which will cost about $4,000. There will therefore be necessary for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1873, the sum of $18,500. Muskegon is in the collection district of Michigan, and the nearest port of entry is Grand Haven, twelve miles south. It has a small lighthouse, with lights of the sixth order. Abstract of bids received and opened March 31, 1871, for furnishing stone at Muskegon Harbor, Michigan. Statement of vessels entered and cleared Muskegon Harbor, Michigan, showing number, crews and cargoes during year 1870. REPORT OF OPERATIONS AT GRAND HAVEN HARBOR, MICHIGAN. After due advertising and opening of proposals, August 27, 1870, contracts were awarded to Messrs. Peirce & Whaling for iron, to Messrs. G. P. Adams & Bro. for stone, and to T. Stewart White for all the remaining materials, and all the work of repairing the old railroad pier. Under this contract, 200 feet of repairs were completed, and the remaining 400 feet well under way. The detailed cost of the work was as follows: 11,734 feet white-oak piles, at 15 cents per foot 30 cords of stone, at $15... 12,294 pounds of drift-bolts, at $3 65 per pound. 448 73 787 pounds of screw-bolts, at 476 per pound... 36 99 765 80 875 00 211 74 904 23 Advertising Use of scow two days, at $2 50 per day.. 64 50 500 Total..... Amount on hand July 1, 1870.... Amount expended during fiscal year Amount on hand July 1, 1871 ... During the present season the repairs to the old railroad pier will be completed, which will exhaust the amount on hand. A pier-head should be built at the end of the present pier, which will cost $7,000. I would again urge the building of a north pier, which will cost $200,000. Until this pier is built this harbor cannot be made one of refuge. A great deal of re-ballasting of crib-pier is necessary, and some repairs to the timber work, which will cost about $5,300. The long revetment interior to the railroad-pier, built in 1867, is in very bad repair, and I fear that a large portion of it will have to be rebuilt. It has been damaged by being used as a dock by vessels, by being run into by vessels not under control, and by being undermined by the current of the river, where it impinges against it. At present prices the repairs of this interior work (shown on accompanying tracing from A to B) would cost about $36,000. The urgency of the repairs is as great as that which required its building in 1867. On the accompanying tracing the blue lines show work in progress, and red lines new work recommended under future appropriations. Abstract of bids received and opened August 27, 1870, for improving harbor at Grand Haven, Michigan. Abstract of contracts for material and work for improving harbor at Grand Haven, Michigan. |